Sunday, March 5, 2017

Dangerous Experiences

We just bought tickets to see the renowned French countertenor Phillippe Jaroussky in concert with Les Violons du Roy at Koerner Hall in April. We are very excited about this concert. We both love opera and Phillippe Jaroussky is one of the best, if not the best countertenor in the world right now. Other countertenors may sign higher or louder but we haven't heard any who can sign with the same kind of beauty, artistry and emotion as Phillippe. Just listen to this gorgeous Vivaldi aria!

"I'd like to make a comment about 'higher and louder'," said Man Yung. "What would you prefer to watch, one of those fast and furious acrobatic tango performances with complicated flinging, high kicks but no feeling, or the simple dancing of the old milongueros which is filled with musicality and passion?"

I happen to know lots of people who love the former and not the latter! There's nothing more exciting than watching the tango equivalent of someone being shot out of a cannon through a ring of fire over an erupting volcano with TNT strapped to their bodies. But I digress.

I actually hesitated quite a bit before I bought the tickets. Not because they were expensive, or because we didn't have time to go. No. I hesitated to buy the tickets because hearing Phillippe Jaroussky sing live may very well KILL Man Yung.

I don't have a problem with being overcome with something so lovely I would keel over on the spot. I did start sweating a bit when I first heard Phillippe Jaroussky sing in a video on Youtube, but that was about it. Man Yung, on the other hand - I thought he was having a heart attack! Turned out to be indigestion, but it was indigestion CAUSED by the utterly ravishing sound of Phillippe Jaroussky's singing.

There are actually a couple of things that Man Yung has said he will not be able to withstand any more at his age. An exhibition of Modigliani's paintings. Beethoven's 3rd Symphony. Any more pet cats. I just hope that a Phillippe Jaroussky concert won't prove to be dangerous to Man Yung's health. Especially since he hasn't taken out a policy of life insurance (with me as a beneficiary) just to cover such a contingency.

This reminds me of something someone once told me about an old milonguero. Being quite advanced in age, there was quite a high chance that he would accomplish what every true milonguero wishes for - to die with a blissful smile on his face while dancing Tango. He actually started a fund in case he would die dancing. The unlucky/lucky lady who is dancing with him when he kicks the bucket would get the proceeds of the fund! OK, it would probably be no more than $100 but still, it's the thought that counts.

"Just think about it, Man Yung! ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! I can probably get myself a nice lobster dinner. And the happy milonguero would go to heaven while being in the heaven of my tango embrace!" I said.

"With the way YOU dance?" scoffed Man Yung. "Impossible! I think he would like to SURVIVE that experience and have better luck with the next lady."

Ha ha Man Yung. Anyway, whether or not I or anyone else would die dancing Tango, it is a fact that Tango is full of dangerous, health and life-threatening experiences. Just listen to these recent comments by Toronto Tangueros:

"OMG! His embrace is like anaconda. I think need a chiropractor. He nearly crushed my neck into my spine!"

"Phew! What a close call. That lady's high kick almost sliced my head open!"

"The DJ has been playing tinny rhythmic Canyengues ALL FRIGGIN' NIGHT. It is so boring and monotonous, you might as well KILL me right now."

"Oh GAG! I ALMOST DIED trying to hold my breath for 13 minutes. For god's sake, hasn't he heard of something called DEODORANT?"

7 comments:

We have not written to you for long. This article is stunning. Thank you for introducing us to Mr. Jaroussky. What a talent and what a beautiful interpretation of Vivaldi aria.

Talking about money and death, Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi all died penniless. Dorian did not learn this from reading learned journals but it was some kind of an advertisement on the sign on Boradway in Vancouver where he walks every evening.

It's very nice to hear your voice from eastern Canada. Also we met Andy from Toronto a week ago on a Friday night milonga. We asked Andy to convey our regards to you guys.

By the way, yesterday it was Osvaldo's birthday. We wish him, in our hearts, pleasant dancing in heaven. Today, it's Dorian's birthday....but we missed the milonga last night because he came home from a walking clinic where he saw 35 souls and he laid in bed speechless after a bath.

From Dorian's experience, he enjoys the Tango dancing and feels freer on the floor the older he gets.

Beautifully crafted words. I am running a little blog (in German), dealing also with other blogs. Usually I just place hyperlinks to posts I think are worth being recommended. And usually people complain about not translating them to German. Sometimes another blogger does this. In this case: I would make an exceprtion becaudee I think these words should be shared beyond the boundaries of English. May I kindly ask your "okay" to translate this post? (I did not find an email address so I am using this comment instead; it is asctually the second try. I assume the first one where I used my Wordpress identity never went through).

Thank you very much for mentioning us on your blog and for translating our post! We are very honoured.

We haven't tried Macallan Amber, but Irene's uncle once gave us a bottle of Macallan 18 years. Macallan has always produced very sophisticated, aristocratic whiskies, and the 18 years was smooth and silk and went down like a fine cognac :-)

Man Yung's favourites are Ardbeg 18 years (from before the distillery shut down for a number of years - happily it is open again and producing) and Longrow, the heavily peated version from the Springbank distillery. Irene will always be faithful to her Talisker.

Thanks again, we will be following your blog with the handy help of Google Translate!